Paper clip



May 12, 1964 Q. STEENSLAND PAPER CLIP Filed Jan. 8, 1963 INVENTOR. 0am and L- S/eem/md United States Patent Ofitice Patented May 12, 19$! 3,132,391 PAPER CLIP Osmund L. Steensland, Box 93, Pierre, S. Dak. Filed Jan. 8, E63, Ser. No. 250,136 2. Claims. (El. 24-66) My invention relates to a paper clip.

An object of my invention is to provide a paper clip which will securely hold several sheets or documents together without undue distortion of the clip, and whereby the papers will be securely held.

A further object of my invention is to provide a paper clip which is simple in construction, and which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide a paper clip which can be readily applied.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a forward elevation of the clip,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the clip showing the manner by which the clip is attached,

FIGURE 4 is a view showing the clip in its attached position, and

FIGURE 5 is an end view of FIGURE 4.

My invention contemplates the provision of a special type of paper clip which will securely hold many sheets together, and in a secure manner, and whereby the outer portions of the clip will not be bent outwardly, thereby providing a firm retention effect. Although my type of paper clip is preferably used for thicker bunches of paper, sheets, etc., it will be understood that the clip could also be used for thinner bunches as well.

In describing my paper clip I have used the character to designate the central portion of an outer U-shaped member having the integral legs 11, the member 10 being flattened as at 12 (see FIGURE 2), and I have further used the character 13 toindicate the central portion of an inner substantially U-shaped member having the further legs 14, the legs 14 being longer than the legs 11. The member 13 also includes the flattened portion at 15 which engages the flattened portion 12, and passing through the members 10 and 13 is a centrally positioned pin 16, and tightly receiving the members 10 and 13 is a resilient cylindrical band 17 which is preferably made of a strong and highly elastic rubber, although'other materials could be used as well. 7

The clip is applied in the following manner. Assuming that the character 18 indicates a bunch of sheets to,

be securely held together, the clip is first applied as shown in FIGURE 3, with the longer legs 14 first being placed so that they straddle the sheets 18, it being noted that the ends 19 of the legs 11 are outside of the edge 20 of the sheets 18. Next, the legs 11 are grasped and rotated about the pin 16 until one of the legs 11 will be above the upper surface of the sheets 18, and the other leg 11 will be beneath the sheets and then the entire clip is pushed to the position shown in FIGURE 4, whereupon the spring or resilient efiect imparted by the band 17 will cause the legs 11 and 14 to be strongly springurged towards each other, thereby causing a firm and secure retaining eliect to the sheets, it also being noted that this eifect will not cause bending or distortion of the ends of the legs 11 and 14.

It should be understood that if desired other types of springs could be used instead of the band 17 without departing from the essential spirit of the invention.

It will now be noted that this type of paper clip provides the various advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified formsof structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A paper clip comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a central portion and legs extending from said central portion, a further substantially U-shaped member having a further central portion and further legs extendingfrom said further central position, said further legs being shorter than said legs, said central portions being rotatable about a common axis, a pin providing said axis, spring-urged means adapted to urge said central portions and said legs toward a common plane.

2. A paper clip comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a central portion and legs extending from said central portion, a further substantially LI-shaped member having a further central portion and, further legs extending from said further central position, said further legs being shorter than said legs, said central portions being rotatable about a common axis, a pin providing said axis, spring-urged means adapted to urge said central portions and said legs toward a common plane, said spring-urged means including a resilient sleeve receiving said central portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 227,507 Emerson May 11, 1880 I 400,138 Steinberger Mar. 26, 1 889 1,637,936 Gross Aug. 2, 1927 2,211,034

Stern Aug. 13, 1940 

1. A PAPER CLIP COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION AND LEGS EXTENDING FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION, A FURTHER SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A FURTHER CENTRAL PORTION AND FURTHER LEGS EXTENDING FROM SAID FURTHER CENTRAL POSITION, SAID FURTHER LEGS BEING SHORTER THAN SAID LEGS, SAID CENTRAL PORTIONS BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT A COMMON AXIS, A PIN PROVIDING SAID AXIS, SPRING-URGED MEANS ADAPTED TO URGE SAID CENTRAL PORTIONS AND SAID LEGS TOWARD A COMMON PLANE. 